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AG/RES. 1502 (XXVII-O/97)

INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN HAITI

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session, held on June 5, 1997)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING that, in the exercise of the powers conferred on it by resolution AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91), the Permanent Council convened an Ad Hoc Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on September 30, 1991, the very day on which the coup d'état had taken place in Haiti, to assess the seriousness of the events that had occurred and had caused the sudden and violent interruption of the democratic process in that country;

BEARING IN MIND resolutions MRE/RES. 1/91, MRE/RES. 2/91, MRE/RES. 3/92 corr. 1, MRE/RES. 4/92, MRE/RES. 5/93 corr. 1, MRE/RES. 6/94, and MRE/RES. 7/95, adopted by the ministers of foreign affairs of the member states with respect to the restoration of democracy in Haiti; resolutions CP/RES. 567 (870/91), CP/RES. 575 (885/92), CP/RES. 594 (923/92), CP/RES. 610 (968/93), CP/RES. 630 (987/94), and CP/RES. 633 (995/94); as well as declarations CP/DEC. 2 (896/92), CP/DEC. 8 (927/93), CP/DEC. 9 (931/93), CP/DEC. 10 (934/93), CP/DEC. 14 (960/93), CP/DEC. 15 (967/93), CP/DEC. 18 (986/94), and CP/DEC. 21 (1006/94), adopted by the Permanent Council;

TAKING NOTE of the resolutions adopted by the United Nations, in particular Security Council resolutions 841 (1993), 861 (1993), 862 (1993), 867 (1993), 873 (1993), 875 (1993), 905 (1994), 917 (1994), 933 (1994), 940 (1994), 944 (1994), 948 (1994), 964 (1994), 975 (1994), 1007 (1994), and 1048 (1994), and General Assembly resolutions 46/7 (1991), 46/138 (1991), 47/20 A (1992), 47/20 B (1993), 48/27 A (1993), 48/27 B (1994), 49/27 (1994), and 49/201 (1995), concerning the crisis in Haiti;

TAKING NOTE of resolution AG/RES. 1373 (XXVI-O/96), which reaffirmed the necessity to maintain an international presence in Haiti in order to safeguard the stable and democratic environment necessary for economic growth and development;

REAFFIRMING that one of the essential purposes of the Organization of American States (OAS) is to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention;

CONSIDERING:

That the international community, particularly through the OAS and the United Nations (UN), responded to the appeal of the Haitian Government by taking the necessary steps to reinstate the constitutional government of Haiti, in accordance with the sovereign will of the Haitian people, as expressed overwhelmingly in the December 16, 1990, elections; and

That the rule of law was restored in that country with the return to constitutional order on October 15, 1994, the reinstatement of the officials legitimately elected by the Haitian people in December 1990, and the successful holding of free and democratic local, parliamentary, and presidential elections in 1995, leading to a peaceful and democratic transfer of power;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that the efforts of President René Préval and the Government and people of Haiti to consolidate democracy and ensure strict observance of human rights and the socioeconomic development of Haiti should be firmly supported by the international community and, in particular, by the member states; and

OBSERVING that the Government of Haiti, with the support of the OAS and the UN, has launched programs aimed at consolidating democratic institutions in Haiti,

RESOLVES:

1. To express its deepest satisfaction with the consolidation of the rule of law in Haiti, thanks to the establishment of a stable government that respects democratic principles.

2. To congratulate the people and Government of Haiti on their efforts to bring about national reconciliation and embark on a process of strict observance of human rights.

3. To reaffirm the staunch resolve of member states to pursue their active cooperation in strengthening the rule of law and the democratic system in Haiti, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring strict observance of human rights in that country.

4. To recommend that the OAS/UN International Civilian Mission continue its activities in Haiti and first and foremost gear them toward programs aimed at supporting the judicial reform undertaken by the Government.

5. To commend the OAS/UN International Civilian Mission in Haiti for its contributions to the full observance of human rights and the rule of law in Haiti.

6. To support the international community in sustaining, during this period of transition, the same level of commitment it demonstrated in recent years or in providing a higher level of assistance, if possible, and to recommend that, at the request of the Haitian Government, the community maintain a strong presence in Haiti and extend, also at the Government's request, its full support for strengthening the national police and reinforcing the stable and democratic environment necessary for economic growth and development.

7. To encourage initiatives by all member states and permanent observers to strengthen their partnership with the Government and people of Haiti within the framework of efforts to advance democracy and sustainable development.

8. To urge international financial institutions to accelerate their disbursement of the assistance which has been promised to Haiti so that its government may meet the many social and economic needs of the population, which will reinforce the rule of law and the policy of national reconciliation launched with the return to constitutional order.

9. To request the Secretary General to present written reports every six months on the implementation of this resolution to the Permanent Council and transmit them to the United Nations Secretary-General, relevant international financial institutions, and governments of the member states and permanent observers.

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